Local time on August 28, South Korea’s National Assembly held a plenary session, with 283 votes in favor, 2 votes against, 6 abstentions passed the“Nursing Law.”. The act clearly stipulates that physician assistants can assume part of the duties of doctors, assisting doctors to perform surgery, etc. , to provide a legal basis for physician assistants to carry out relevant medical behavior.
It is widely expected in South Korea that through the enactment of the nursing law, physician assistants will be able to assume part of the duties of doctors in diagnosis and treatment, thus, to some extent, to fill the medical gap caused by the collective resignation of interns and residents.
The law will come into effect nine months after its publication, so it is expected to come into force as early as June next year.